Each weekday morning I drive from my North Bend home to our offices in Snoqualmie. Every evening I make the return trip along with several trips during the day back and forth. Within the last month alone I have witnessed several close calls caused by people slowing down or stopping to see the elk on Meadowbrook Farm. It’s time to take charge and figure out a solution before someone is seriously hurt or injured.

I have to admit, I love to stop along the golf course road (Boalch Avenue) and watch the elk as they graze in the evening. I often grab my camera and take pictures. If the elk are in the field, then it’s typical to see several others watching our local elk family. The golf course road is a great spot because there are several locations to pull off and watch, and traffic is typically light.

But how many times have you, as a driver, had to slam on your brakes to avoid a collision because someone decides to make a last-minute turn into the one, gated approach to the south side of the farm? It’s a safety hazard, propagated by game management wanting to increase the size of the herd and the state, county and cities having done little to address the issue.

So here is a suggestion, because we all love looking at the elk. (This isn’t a new idea, but one I have heard from several concerned residents.) The two cities should convene a meeting with the state department of transportation to address just this problem. Let’s not confuse those folks at the DOT with multiple issues. Get the county involved and look for some kind of grant to address safety issues on state highways.

Get our legislative team of Jay Rodne, Glenn Anderson and Cheryl Pflug involved. Let’s find and implement a solution before next spring so that an accident, or even death, can be averted. It’s not a matter of if it will happen – but when.